Materials Engineering and Testing

Engineering materials is a branch of science which

deals with the study of existing materials, their
properties, functions, uses and effects over
different compositions and mixtures.

What they do

Materials engineers develop, process, and test

materials used to create a wide range of products,
from computer chips and aircraft wings to golf
clubs and biomedical devices. They study the
properties and structures of metals, ceramics,
plastics, composites, nanomaterials (extremely
small substances), and other substances in order
to create new materials that meet certain
mechanical, electrical, and chemical requirements.

Why is Materials Engineering important?

Studying materials can lead to an international career Materials science and materials engineering is a
key aspect of most companies the world over. In the race to make things stronger, cheaper, lighter,
more functional and more sustainable, the manipulation of materials, their properties and processes is
the key.

Materials testing (destructive and non-destructive)

Destructive Testing

Destructive testing (or destructive physical analysis, DPA) tests are carried out to the specimen's failure,
in order to understand a specimen's performance or
material behaviour under different loads.

Tensile testing - also known as tension testing,

is a fundamental materials
science and engineering test in which a sample
is subjected to a controlled tension until
failure. Properties that are directly measured
via a tensile test are ultimate tensile
strength, breaking strength,
maximum elongation and reduction in area.
Impact testing – The impact test is a method
for evaluating the toughness and notch
sensitivity of engineering materials. It is usually
used to test the toughness of metals, but
similar tests are used for polymers, ceramics
and composites. Metal industry sectors include
Oil and Gas, Aerospace, Power Generation,
Automotive, and Nuclear.

● Charpy Impact Test

A test specimen is machined to a 10mm x

10mm (full size) cross-section, with either a
"V" or "U" notch. Sub-size specimens are used
where the material thickness is restricted.
Specimens can be tested down to cryogenic temperatures.

● Izod Impact Test

The test specimen is machined to a square or round section, with either one , two or three notches. The
specimen is clamped vertically on the anvil with the notch facing the Hammer.

Fatigue testing - is a specialized form

of mechanical testing that is performed by
applying cyclic loading to a coupon or
structure. These tests are used either to
generate fatigue data, identify critical locations
or demonstrate the safety of a structure that
may be susceptible to fatigue.

Hardness Testing - Hardness tests are used

in mechanical engineering to determine
the hardness of a material to deformation.
Several such tests exist, wherein the
examined material is indented until an
impression is formed; these tests can be
performed on a macroscopic or microscopic
scale.
Non- Destructive Testing

Nondestructive testing (NDT) is the process of inspecting, testing, or evaluating materials, components
or assemblies for discontinuities, or differences in characteristics without destroying the serviceability of
the part or system. In other words, when the inspection or test is completed the part can still be used.

Liquid Penetrant - One common

nondestructive technique, used to locate
surface cracks and flaws in metals, employs a
penetrating liquid, either brightly dyed or
fluorescent.

Radio activity – Internal as well as external

flaws can be detected by X-ray or gamma-
ray techniques in which the radiation passes
through the material and impinges on a
suitable photographic film. Under some
circumstances, it is possible to focus the X
rays to a plane within the material,
permitting a three-dimensional description
of the flaw geometry as well as its location.

Ultrasonic Testing – Ultrasonic inspection

of parts involves transmission of sound
waves above human hearing range
through the material. In the reflection
technique, a sound wave is transmitted
from one side of the sample, reflected off
the far side, and returned to a receiver
located at the starting point.
Magnetic particle Testing – Magnetic
Particle Testing uses one or more magnetic
fields to locate surface and near-surface
discontinuities in ferromagnetic materials.
The magnetic field can be applied with a
permanent magnet or an electromagnet.
When using an electromagnet, the field is
present only when the current is being
applied. When the magnetic field
encounters a discontinuity transverse to the
direction of the magnetic field, the flux lines
produce a magnetic flux leakage field of
their own.

Infrared Testing- Infrared testing is used

to detect water damage, potential circuit
overload, or areas of unusually high
electrical resistance, and leaks beneath
the surface of the roof, allowing the
opportunity to repair the section before it
continues to spread.

Engineering Materials

Metals (Ferrous and Non-Ferrous) - a solid

material that is typically hard, shiny,
malleable, fusible, and ductile, with good
electrical and thermal conductivity

Ferrous Metals mostly contain Iron. They

have small amounts of other metals or
elements added, to give the required
properties. Ferrous Metals are magnetic
and give little resistance to
corrosion. Some examples of the ferrous
metals we deal with:

● Vehicle scrap metal

● Demolition Site scrap metal
Non-Ferrous Metals do not contain Iron, are
not magnetic and are usually more resistant
to corrosion 2than ferrous metals.

Some examples of Non-Ferrous Metals we

deal with are:

● Aluminum ● Aluminum Alloys

● Copper ● Zinc

● Brass ● Stainless Steel

● Lead ● Electrical Cable

Polymers – a large molecule composed of many

repeated subunits

A thermosetting polymer, resin, or

plastic, often called a thermoset, is
a polymer that is irreversibly
hardened by curing from a soft
solid or viscous
liquid prepolymer or resin. Curing
is induced by heat or
suitable radiation and may be
promoted by high pressure, or
mixing with a catalyst. It results in
chemical reactions that create
extensive cross-linking between
polymer chains to produce an
infusible and insoluble polymer
network.

A thermoplastic,
or thermosoftening plastic, is a
plastic polymer material that becomes pliable or moldable at a certain elevated temperature and
solidifies upon cooling. Most thermoplastics have a high molecular weight. The polymer chains
associate by intermolecular forces, which weaken rapidly with increased temperature, yielding a viscous
liquid. In this state, thermoplastics may be reshaped and are typically used to produce parts by various
polymer processing techniques such as injection molding, compression molding, calendering,
and extrusion.

Thermoplastics differ from thermosetting polymers which form irreversible chemical bonds during the
curing process. Thermosets do not melt when heated, but typically decompose and do not reform upon
cooling.

Ceramic - is a solid material comprising an inorganic compound of metal, non-metal or metalloid atoms
primarily held in ionic and covalent bonds. Common examples are earthware, porcelain, and brick.
Composite Material - is a material made from
two or more constituent materials with
significantly different physical or chemical
properties that, when combined, produce a
material with characteristics different from
the individual components. The individual
components remain separate and distinct
within the finished structure, differentiating
composites from mixtures and solid solutions.

Mechanical Properties of Metals

Brittleness - the tendency of material to fracture or fail upon the application of a relatively small
amount of force, impact or shock.

Ductility - Ductility is the property by which a metal can be drawn into thin wires. It is determined by
percentage elongation and percentage reduction in the area of metal.

Malleability - Malleability is the property by which a metal can be rolled into thin sheets.

Resilience - Resilience is the ability of metal to absorb energy and resist soft and impact load.

Elasticity - Elasticity is the tendency of solid materials to return to their original shape after being
deformed.

Plasticity - Plasticity is the property by which a metal retains its deformation permanently, when the
external force applied on it is released.

Fatigue - Fatigue is the material weakening or breakdown of equipment subjected to stress, especially a
repeated series of stresses.

Hardness - Hardness is the ability of material to resist permanent change of shape caused by an external
force.

Stiffness- When an external force is applied on metal, it develops an internal resistance. The internal
resistance developed per unit area is called stress. Stiffness is the ability of metal to resist deformation
under stress.